Plus Mick Foley meets with Jenna Morasca from Survivor, TNA's new star, and Sting and Kurt Angle do their go-home angles for Destination X

A look at all the chaos that surrounded UFC this weekend, including the changing of the main events, Frank Mir's injury, Quinton Jackson, the show and how it all went down is one of several major stories in this coming Monday's jumbo-sized issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

The issue also has an update on Hulk Hogan's career, details behind the current financial issues, what he filed in court and what that says about not only wrestling at Wrestlemania, but other endeavors like television shows.

We also have a story about a WWE headliner who is talking about retirement very soon.

We also have the first official word on how the Royal Rumble did, and what that means for Wrestlemania. We also look at how the Rumble on PPV did compared to the other PPV shows in January and there is a shocking deal there. We also talk about the promotion of the event itself.

The current issue is available right now to premium web site subscribers, who get approximately ten issues per week, six new and four or five historical, as well as all our radio shows, Figure Four Weekly, Karl Stern's historical Dragon King newsletter as access to all premium articles on the web site. You can also get the Observer mailed to you weekly in print form following the instructions underneath.

We've also got full coverage of UFC 96, including poll results as well as financial records of the show, early business indicators fro UFC and more.

We also update Wrestlemania, including a look at many of the women not on the roster who have been contacted for the Battle Royal as well as other notes on the show including who are the odd men out right now. We've got an update on ticket sales, as well as a feature on Koko Ware.

We also have a look at the age where wrestling fans are dropping out and how that is completely different from the past. We've got more news on the 500th episode of Smackdown, as well as a major Smackdown celebration show planned for 2009, a look at the WWE Legends of Wrestling videogame as well as comments by the designer and why certain people weren't included as legendary matches not available for play.

We also have notes on a Bret Hart interview talking about Eric Bischoff, Owen Hart, as well as what actually happened with Owen Hart after the 1997 Survivor Series and why he stayed in WWE. Hart also talks about steroids in wrestling as well as a union.

We also have notes on one of pro wrestling's all-time greats who hinted this past week about wanting to come back for one last match, as well as an analysis of Christian's return to WWE.

We have a look at how JBL has saved the nearly dead Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion and wrestling school.

We've got an update on the Raven independent contractors lawsuit against WWE, including the judges rulings on why he threw the case out, where the case now stands, as well as TV analysts talk about the case including one who predicts that if it goes before a jury, the wrestlers will win big.

We've got a lot of notes on WWE business including some very interesting web site news as well as DVD sales news.

We've got features on six different people let go by WWE over the past week or weeks, details as to why and what was and wasn't expected. We look at a TNA star who wants to come to WWE, how WWE projects like DVDs and the album did this past week, as well as an analysis of the leaked Raw script.

We also have a look at the leading candidate for a site for Wrestlemania in 2011, and if it's in the site, a few possible Hall of Fame candidates from that city.

We also have a look at how WWE sees its roster, including rankings from top to bottom on all three brands, as well as a listing of all the second generation wrestlers currently in training, and a wrestler who is listed on the main roster but seems to have been forgotten even though Vince wanted him to be pushed and at one point he was earmarked for a major role.

We also discuss Lance Storm's recent articles on WWE doing seasons like in other sports with down time.

We've also got coverage of the latest Dream show, details on the next season of Ultimate Fighter including a rundown of the roster of the two squads, and coverage of Europe's biggest annual pro wrestling tournament featuring stars from several Japan offices, TNA and ROH.

We also have our usual weekly features including in-depth on the ratings of all the national TV shows, as well as results from the major league arena events held around the world, and the major TV show reviews.

The Wrestling Observer ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA all over the world.

Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sites and has the most complete look at the business as a whole anywhere. The Observer is now in its 27th year of being the leading insider pro wrestling publication in the world. The biggest and most influential names in the pro wrestling industry as well as the MMA industry, from bookers, to promoters to Hall of Fame wrestlers and fighters to the biggest current names, both on camera, and behind the scenes, along with thousands of readers in all 50 states and 30 countries subscribe. Many have subscribed as long as 20 years or more straight. They get the most detailed and inside coverage of what is going on all over the world and an accuracy from having the most inside sources that can't be found on the web. Everyone from Wall Street to the major offices to the TV networks in U.S. and Japan turn to the Observer for what is going on in the business. If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today. Just send your Visa or Master Card order with your name, address, phone number, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to
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or you can order by faxing that information to 408-244-3402. You can also subscribe via paypal at www.paypal.com and using the
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address or subscribe via check, cash or money order, as well as credit card, by mail, by sending to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228.

Also in this week's issues:

--New legend WWE is working on a DVD of

--Plans at this point for a major late May house show and what it shows

--A new WWE movie plan

--Lawler draws a big crowd for an indie show against one of his all-time greatest rivals

--Bret Hart talks about who he'd be up for inducting into the Hall of Fame

--A look at WWE arena business and highlights of the road shows over the past week

--Another major promotion loses TV due to the bad economy

--The first member of one of pro wrestling's all-time most legendary family to be on their way to going heel

--What promotion is in negotiations with some stars right now that would be nothing less than gigantic additions

--Notes on the go-home show angles for Rey de Reyes

--One of Mexico's biggest star of the last 25 years gets head shaved

--One of the most famous families in wrestling history reunite for a match for the first time since 1991

--Former WWF stars now booking for Puerto Rican group

--Notes on top stars from past and present in Puerto Rico in recent weeks

--Dragon Gate gets a network slot

--The story behind one of the most famous cheap shots in wrestling history

--New Japan honors past stars

--Beginning of Japan Cup tournament

--90s hardcore promotion doing a revival show

--Update on Verne Gagne case

--ECW reunion

--80s pro wrestling star and former college football star arrested for bank robberies

--Promotion celebrates milestone and brings in top indie talent for the weekend

--Former TNA wrestler gets gig on national show

--Unique indie match from a major backstage incident in the 90s WWF

--Recent WWE star talks about going into MMA

--A look at the Danny Hodge book

--Update on how "The Wrestler" is doing at the box office

--Update on Nick Dinsmore and his attempt to get back to WWE

--Two former pro wrestlers, a one-time gimmick wrestler and a former WCW wrestler, both nominated for newest College Football Hall of Fame balloting

--Update on Vader

--Update on new wrestling books

--Update on Scott Hall

--One of Montreal's best drawing heels doing farewell match

--Death of one of New Zealand's top stars who was in a famous U.S. movie

--More on ROH on HDNet

--ROH brings back a few former performers

--Notes on ROH ticket sales

--Notes on TNA's different celebrity signings

--TNA cancels major show

--Update on some TNA gimmicks

--TNA to release DVD featuring some big matches from Japan including IWGP title match

--Tokyo Dome rematch being built for TNA

--Booker talks about his Fan Fest and WWE trying to ruin it

--Lots of new UFC matches

--Notes on WEC going to PPV

--UFC TV outlet feeling financial pain

--UFC 101 and 102 notes

--UFC debuts on TV in new market

--UFC 98 complete lineup

--Major Canadian media breakthrough for UFC

--New MMA based movie

--New MMA superstar basing character around Ric Flair

--Don King's new involvement in MMA

--New ESPN MMA promotion news

--New weekly MMA TV show begins on a national outlet in ay

New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major story (ies) of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we'll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We've got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue. Our most requested issues in our history are:

*November 17, 1997 (full details of everything leading to the most famous wrestling match finish of modern times at the Survivor Seriesplus a history of in-ring double-crosses)

*December 21, 1998 (the complete Vince McMahon-Bret Hart conversation right before the Survivor Series match so you'll know exactly what was said--the conversation played in edited form both on the inaugural broadcast of Confidential as well as in Wrestling with Shadows, buteverything that was said between the two about the match that was going to take place that same night)

*March 26, 2001 (death of WCW and history of pro wrestling on the Turner networks)

*October 22, 2001 (why the adult audience has left pro wrestling in such great numbers and what needed to have been done to save them)*July 8, 1991 (Ric Flair leaves WCW as world champion/Zahorian steroid trial)

*February 8, 1993 (the life and times of Andre the Giant)

*May 13, 2002 (the life story of the most incredible pro wrestling career ever, a look at Lou Thesz, in one of the largest issues of ourhistory)

*January 27, 2003 (part one of the two-part series covering the career and life of The Sheik)

*February 3, 2003 (Part two on The Sheik including thoughts from people who worked with him and where he stands historically)

*April 21, 2003 (history of WWF continues with the expansion nationally, the death of the regional territories and the rise of HulkHogan)

*May 12, 2003 (The life and death of Elizabeth, and the rise of fall of Lex Luger)

*June 9, 2003 (Part 1 of history of WWF vs. WCW wars and what many say was the greatest year in U.S. wrestling; plus a look at Fred Blassie)

*June 16, 2003 (Freddie Blassie through the eyes of his biggest rivals and friends)

*July 28, 2003 (Part 2 of the history of the WWF vs. WCW war and the plans to make new superstars in the early 90s, what happened, and thenight where the three biggest wrestling companies in the world combined for a joint show and what happened)

*August 25, 2003 (2003 Hall of Fame issue with huge profiles on the controversial career of Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit as well ashistorical features on Earl Caddock and Francisco Flores)

*September 22, 2003 (Part 3 of the history of the WWF vs WCW war with the seeds that caused the collapse of the industry in the 90s,Zahorian trial, Gulf War controversy, Flair leaves WCW while holding world title and much more)

*October 27, 2003 (The fascinating life of Stu Hart plus the story of Road Warrior Hawk)

*February 23, 2004 (History of Guerrero family with Eddy's win over Brock Lesnar)

*March 1, 2004 (History of WWF continues with the period that brought the company down in early 1992, the mistakes, the real stories and how the business changed)

*March 8, 2004 (History of Wrestlemania, its greatest matches and best and worst shows as voted both by wrestlers and non-wrestlers andWrestlemania history books)

*July 5, 2004 (A look behind the scenes and Ric Flair's book and his background with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan)

*July 12, 2004 (A look at more on Ric Flair's book and his comments on Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart and Mick Foley)

*August 16, 2004 (History of the Olympians in pro wrestling)

*August 23, 2004 (2004 Hall of Fame issue and biggest issue of the year with huge profiles on Kazushi Sakuraba, Undertaker, Bob Backlund,Masahiro Chono, Ultimo Dragon, Kurt Angle and Tarzan Lopez--this counts as one issue if you are asking for a free issue, but orderedseparately, due to size, is $6 in North America and $7 overseas)

*October 4, 2004 (the life and times of Big Bossman; as well as details of the life and times of one of the most influential men worldwide in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett)

*November 15, 2004 (the full story of what happened between Kurt Angle and Daniel Puder, plus coverage of the most important week in thehistory of TNA)

*January 24, 2005 (2004 Awards issue, Rock and WWE part company)

*March 14, 2005 (the 50 biggest money players in the history of WWF and a look at theirHall of Fame)

*May 9, 2005 (the life and times of Chris Candido)

*June 20, 2005 (The full story behind Paul Heyman and the death of ECW, as well as coverage of One Night Stand, Hardcore Homecoming andbehind the scenes of both shows)

*July 18, 2005 (death of Shinya Hashimoto and his records with a look at the fall of New Japan, the Matt Hardy angle, tons of WWE firings,Cornette firing in detail as well as problems of a WWE developmental territory in our biggest news issue of the year which is adouble-sized issue and would be $6 on its own and $7 overseas)

*January 9, 2006 (The life and times of Superstar Billy Graham, plus New Year's Eve 2005 coverage)

*January 16, 2006 (2005 Awards double issue, $6 or $7 overseas)

*April 3, 2006 (Story of Ann Calvello and the history of Roller Derby--many called this the best issue of the Observer ever)

*April 10, 2006 (Behind the scenes at the 2006 Wrestlemania/Hall of Fame week)

*July 24, 2006 (The History of the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling--the most unreal story ever in wrestling)

*September 4, 2006 (The Rise and Fall of Kurt Angle; 2006 Hall of Fame inductions of Eddie Guerrero, Paul Bowser, Masakatsu Funaki, Aja Kong and Hiroshi Hase including tons of wrestling history around the world from the 20s through the 60s, the evolution of working to not workingin Japan, and a look at Guerrero in hindsight, double issue $6 or $7 overseas)

*October 9, 2006 (A look back nine years later at the life and legacy of Brian Pillman with tons of inside information about what made himtick as his real objectives)

*November 15, 2006 (History of WCW part one, Eric Bischoff's book and how the industry was changed forever)

*November 27, 2006 (History of WCW part three, When Bischoff challenged McMahon to fight; Truth and fiction around Bret Hartsigning with WCW and why it didn't click)

*December 6, 2006 (details behind Pride's offers to sell promotion and Part four of History of WCW part four, Hogan-Goldberg match and whythere was no rematch, WCW loses NBC network deal in 1999 and the real reasons the company fell apart)

August 11, 2008 (Ric Flair leaves WWE; Updated history of pro wrestlers and MMA fighters who went to the Olympics)

September 8, 2008 (2008 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas; part one of Killer Kowalski bio)

September 15, 2008 (Life and Times of Evan Tanner)

September 22, 2008 (The amazing career of Killer Kowalski, one of our most in-depth bios)

You can also order any of these issues on their own for $4 in North America or $5 overseas.

Rates are:

For the United States, it is $12 for 4 issues, $29 for 12, $55 for 24, $91 for 40 and $118 for 52. In Canada and Mexico, rates are $13.50 for4, $33 for 12, $61 for 24, $101 for 40 and $131 or 52. In Europe, you can get the fastest delivery and best rates by sending to
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. For the rest of the world, rates are $15.50 for 4, $41 for 12, $78 for 24, $126 for 40 issues and $163 for52 .

If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.

We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking moreabout the subjects in the book. The book covers the life stories of Lou Thesz, Wahoo McDaniel, Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Road Warrior Hawk,Andre the Giant, Curt Hennig, Johnny Valentine, Davey Boy Smith, Terry Gordy, Owen Hart, Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik and Tim Woods. To get all of those biographies as back issues of the Observer would be a $60 value today. This is a collection of some of the bestObserver articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. Thebook price is $12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping costs in the U.S., $10 for shipping costs to Canada and $12 for shipping costs outside NorthAmerica. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter.

--Officials for Roy Jones Jr.'s promotion, which has the boxing/wrestling combined PPV that was advertised on Raw & ECW in several markets that was supposed to have Ken Shamrock vs. Bobby Lashley as the MMA main event (Jones himself will box Omar Sheika in the actual main event), have come to Lashley today with Hasim Rahman, the former world heavyweight champion boxer, and Don Frye, as potential opponents. Lashley accepted both bouts. Rahman was their first choice and they are trying to work out a deal today.

--The Hennepin County Attorney's office announced today that it would not file any charges against Verne Gagne for the death of Helmut Gutann due to his mental condition.

--At the press conference for Strikeforce today, it was announced Joe Riggs vs. Jake Shields is off the 4/11 show and instead Shields vs. Robbie Lawler will headline the second Showtime card, a May show in the Seattle/Tacoma area.

--ECW on Tuesday did a 1.3 rating

--Steve Austin and Charisma Carpenter (as the female lead) have been added to the movie The Expendables, which features Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li and Randy Couture among others.

--We're looking for regular correspondents for the web site to do reviews on the ROH TV show when it starts next weekend, as well as Inside MMA. If you send in last week when we asked, please send in again.

--For the 4/1 UFC show on Spike, due to a rib injury, Efrain Escudero is out and Jeremy Stephens' new opponent is Gleison Tibau. There is a TUF winner jinx, because Amir Sadollah, who won the previous season, still hasn't fought since winning with injury and infections.

--HBO announced 24/7 dates of Pacquiao vs. Hatton starting 4/11 at 9:30 p.m., with the other three shows on 4/18 at 10 p.m., 4/25 and 9:30 p.m.. and 5/1 at 9:30 p.m. (the night before the 5/2 fight). There will also be tons of replays during the week

--The last Affliction show airs tomorrow night at 10 p.m. Eastern time on HDNet. This is the show headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski. This will be with a new commentary track done by the HDNet announcing team.

--Dwayne Johnson said his next project is he wants to be in a Broadway musical. His Disney movie "Witch Mountain" opens tomorrow. (thanks to Matt Schreiner)

--Strikeforce had its first press conference with Showtime today in Los Angeles. Frank Shamrock, Nick Diaz, Cris Cyborg and Josh Thomson were on the KTLA news this morning.

--Do you think Urijah Faber vs. Mike Brown on PPV can do 50,000 buys?

Yes, about that much 43.5%

No, won't come close 41.9%

Will do significantly more 14.6%

--What are you planning on watching on 4/11?

Strikeforce on Showtime 41.3%

UFC 94 replay on Spike 8.4%

Bellator on Fox Sports Espanol 0.9%

None of the above 49.4%

--UFC 100 vs. Wrestlemania on PPV in North America, do you think?

UFC beats Wrestlemania 41.1%

UFC doubles Wrestlemania 17.5%

UFC triples Wrestlemania 2.6%

Both shows do about the same 14.8%

Wrestlemania beats UFC 15.9%

Wrestlemania doubles UFC 4.7%

Wrestlemania triples UFC 3.3%

--Jesse Ventura weighed in on the employees vs. independent contractor situation saying he thinks WWE listing wrestlers as independent contractors is absurd in an interview at http://www.cyinterview.com He said he was in the Senate, he would have investigated the WWE due too all the young deaths in wrestling.

--Former NFL running back Herbert "Whisper"Goodman (3-1) faces former Olympic wrestler and UFC bet Jordan Radev on 3/28 in Sofia, Bulgaria in the next M-1 Challenge TV taping. Goodman fights as a middleweight.

--TNA is running in Shepherdsville, right outside Louisville, tomorrow night. It goes head to head with the Big East semifinals, but that's the breaks. About 500 tickets have been sold in advance for the show.

--TNA has made a deal to have some of its matches on the Xbox Live video marketplace

--W1 Inception on 3/28 in Gatineau, Quebec at the Robert Guertin Arena is headlined by the return of Carlos Newton, facing Nabil Khatib. Former CFL star and WWF wrestler Glenn Kulka aces Josh Strickland.

--Even though the WWE Magazine has erased Chris Benoit from its records in the Wrestlemania issue, the WWE Encyclopedia that was released by DK Publishing has a half page profile and photo of him (thanks to James Rossiter)

--Regarding WFAN in New York, the overnight guy Tony Paige, does cover boxing and mentions MMA but is not a fan of it. A source close to the Mike Francesa show noted that there have been lots of rumors of Max Kellerman joining the show, because Francesa and Kellerman have been friends since Max was a teenager, but it is not happening. I'm told Francesa's rating are up since Chris Russo left for Sirius and they feel there is no reason to add a co-host.

--Brooke Hogan is coming out with a new album called "The Redemption" (thanks to Jeff Sheridan)

--Chuck Langerman wrote in saying the reason TNA isn't selling that well in Philadelphia for Lockdown is not the economy, but because the Liacouras Center is in the middle of a terrible area, with parking difficult and a very high crime rate. He noted a lot of people are afraid to go there at night.

--Les Thatcher is doing a seminar for the NWA Anarchy promotion from 3/20 to 3/22. The three days are $100. You can contact the Days Inn of Cornelia at 706-778-7700 for room rates. For more info contact
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--Johnny Powers, who at one time was the most popular wrestler in the area in the early 70s, returns to Rochester for an autograph signing at the Webster Columbus Center on 4/26 with Ox Baker. For more info you can call 585-241-3198 or e-mail
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--Bill Behrens at
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is now taking bookings for Colin Delaney for indie shows and autograph gigs. He's based out of Rochester, NY

--Eclectic Media Productions will be handling publicity and management for Afa the Samoan. You can book him by contacting Shannon Rose at
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or calling 813-960-8412

--Victory Pro Wrestling on Saturday night in Deer Park,. NY at the Community Center